Matt Cram and John Ayres

A 4"x6" glass plate negative, portrait photograph of Matt Cram and John Ayres, David City, Nebraska. John Ayers is wearing a dark plaid overcoat, white shirt, dark knotted tie and a dark hat with wide curled brim, standing with both hands behind his back. Matt Cram is standing beside him with his thumb tucked into his coat pocket, wearing a long dark coat with black velvet collar, white scarf wrapped around his neck, wide-brimmed, light-colored felt hat, in front of a painted backdrop featuring an ivy-covered column.

Matt Cram was born in David City, July 23, 1885, the son of Edwin and Hannah Cram. According to 1900 Census records, Matt’s father was a merchant in David City. Matt died May 1982, in Dallas, Texas. John Francis Ayers (Ayres) was born in Nebraska, December 31,1885, to Frank and Sadie Ayers. According to World War I (WWI) draft registration records which John filled out in 1917, he was living in Osceola working as an optometrist and he listed his next of kin as his wife, Cora. According to 1920 Census records, John and Cora had three sons and were living in Osceola, Nebraska, where John worked as a real estate agent, selling land.